


Wisdom, Justice, and Love

by Kittyinaz



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-06
Updated: 2015-01-29
Packaged: 2018-02-24 07:17:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2572949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittyinaz/pseuds/Kittyinaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story is based on Points of Authority. This will tell how Caius and Bella met, fell in love, and it will continue after Points of Authority. Short story, told in three parts. Wisdom is being published now. Will be 6 chapters before we move on to Justice. </p><p>The title is based on this: “I come to this magnificent house of worship tonight because my conscience leaves me no other choice. A true revolution of values will lay hands on the world order and say of war: “This way of settling differences is not just.” This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation’s homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into veins of people normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love.” (Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence by Rev. Martin Luther King – 4 April 1967)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

# Weight of the World

[ ](https://kittyinaz.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/chapter-1-wisdom.jpg)

**Disclaimer: Down own any of it. My world, their characters. Capiche?**

**Pre-Edit Count: 1,623 Words**

Song: _Robot Boy_ by Linkin Park

* * *

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Bella-Swan.jpg)

Bella is driving to Port Angeles to pick up a book that had been shipped there at her request. Her hands are tight on the steering wheel knowing she has gone outside of the area protected by the wolves. Sam and Jake will have a lot to say to her, she knew, along with Paul who has appointed himself her bodyguard. Quil, too, come to think of it. After he found out he was related to her, he had gone overboard in singing her praises and watching every wolf close to her.

But she needs the book and the boys are needed more than ever to guard the town and reservation. They are already spread so thin, it wasn’t even funny. Victoria had started attacking the town, but now she found sport in attacking the reservation. It had caused many wolves to spring up and she had almost lost her life that fateful day; though they didn’t get her, she did lose the help of the few vampires helping her. It had been a day of bonfires and much boasting as the tribe had suddenly realized that their histories were true.

Somehow, she has kept it all from Charlie, but it had actually been the brutal attacks on Forks that had made her come out of her zombie state after only a few weeks. Since then, she had been going to the Cullen mansion to read the books in Carlisle and Jasper’s library.

She mostly read in Jasper’s library, curling up in the chair that looked and smelled like the one Jasper favored. She felt comforted by the smell and the hole in her chest felt better. So she was most often found there if not at school, work or home.

At least, that had been the case until Laurent confronted her on the steps of the mansion as she was leaving one day. Her mind was full of information and she knew she was missing some piece that would help make it all make sense in her mind. But imagine her surprise to meet Laurent on the steps below her.

She had frozen, not knowing what to do.

Unknown to her, her bodyguard for the afternoon had seen the frozen look and he slowly crept forward from the tree line in order to be able to grab the leech if he went for her.

Laurent had laughed seeing her coming out of the house. “I don’t smell any of them here. Are you breaking and entering? Isabel-la?” He trilled the last part of her name as though he was tasting some fine wine.

Bella didn’t step back when he took a step up to her, remembering from Jasper’s journals when he’d noted that vampires are linked to their instincts as so few are. To give into that step would only encourage a vampire. It was a mistake many make and one that once done, there is no way to go back; the only outcome being death.

The eyes in the woods twinkle as the mind behind those strangely intelligent eyes said, “ _Good Girl,_ ” as she stood firm.

Bella’s eyes never left Laurent’s, her mind going through everything Jasper had written, knowing if she survived this and saw Jasper again, then she will thank him many, **_many_** times for the save.

Laurent chuckles. “You _are_ a brave one, aren’t you? But then, I wonder where the Cullens’ are at? They left such a tasty morsel here. I would have thought that when young Edward tired of you as his pet, he would have drained you.”

Her eyes stayed on his as her mind tries to figure out what had happened and how he knew the Cullens’ were gone.

He laughs as walks on the steps below her, watching her, taunting his prey. “But then, maybe he is just biding his time to come back and be able to eat you. It’s not that far of a run for one of us, you know? But maybe you can answer a question for me?”

She had quirked an eyebrow at him.

The other being was almost there and he let loose a lupine grin as he realizes that even though she may not know it, she is distracting the leech perfectly.

Laurent moves closer to her, breathing in her scent as his eyes roll back in his head. Then he whispers to her, “Why would they bring a warlord in to hold back a member of the family from leaving? Is it something to do with you? Right now, you smell of him…”

Gritting her teeth as she stands there, not giving an inch, she listens to him laugh as he walks around her, moving at times so fast that he appeared to be in one spot, then another before she can blink. But between those flashes she saw what only could be a wolf from Jake’s stories and she hopes he is her protector. Then suddenly, it winked at her.

She had ducked in that second and the wolf sailed over her, taking down Laurent, both of them crashing into the house. She popped her head up and looked back at the scene behind her. The wolf had taken Laurent’s head off, but the body was still moving and the wolf was growling as it held the head in its mouth.

Bella dashed into the house. Digging through a drawer, she grabbed the lighter she had seen Esme use once and grinned as she held it, spinning around to face the supernatural creatures behind her.

The wolf had moved where it could see her and keep out of the way of the vampire. She tells him, “Get it outside!”

The wolf huffs and then eying the vampire, soon jumps at it hard enough to carry it back outside. Bella ran after them and as soon as they were outside, she flipped the lighter on with a smug grin, saying, “Take that you sanctimonious asshole. And god, I hope your smell goes away! I thought you guys were supposed to lure us in, not repel us with the smell from your hair!” With that, she had dropped the lighter on the stump of his neck.

Laurent’s head looked like it would be screaming, but the bite to sever the head had been through the vocal cords. Once the fire had started to burn merrily, the wolf spit out the head into the flames and the two watched the vampire burn.

When there is nothing but ashes remaining, she turns to the wolf that towers above her, saying, “Thanks. I have no idea which one you are, but thanks.” She studies the grey wolf before her as he studies her.

Then he pushes her towards the truck. She trips and yelps, “Okay! I am going!” She jumped into the truck and once started, she began driving down the long driveway. She looks to the side, seeing the grey blur as it paced her in the trees.

* * *

That had been the start of her odd relationship with Paul. He had respected her so much for not giving an inch to the bloodsucker when she had no idea he was there. And that one second she had once spotting him, she had reacted exactly right, allowing him to attack the Cold One without hurting her in the process.

Then, as he boasts at the bonfire as they welcomed Bella to the ranks of those who knew, he was amazed she was cool as a cat as she grabbed a lighter from inside the house while his mouth was full from the dread-locked head of that leech. He happily recounted her phrasing to him once she went to light him on fire.

The only thing he had asked was why not in the house and she’d told him she was not done studying the books left there.

From the books she had been reading, she helped them form the wolves into a more lethal force, telling them the tricks that had been noted in the journals and how to counter them. Sam had been more than happy to follow the information she provided and it helped them catch the vampires and make killing them much easier.

However, it doesn’t seem _she_ has limited supply of vampires; oh, they hurt _her_ taking out one of the guys they had seen around a lot of the time, but it only slowed _her_ down and they were all on edge wondering where _she_ would strike this time…

And Bella sneaked out to grab a book. She knows it was not smart, but they _needed_ that book!

She takes a deep breath as she pushes her POS truck as fast as it will go. She loves the truck, but right now, she wishes she had the keys to the bike in the Cullen garage. She could’ve made the trip at half the time and right now, speed is much preferred.

She is on edge when she reaches the outskirts of the city, but then her last visit had taught her she wasn’t safe. She watched around her, but her heart sank when she couldn’t find a parking spot close to the book shop.

She hurries in and making her purchase, hurries back out, telling herself that next time she will have someone, anyone, go with her. Even Jessica’s inane prattling would be better than this!

As she heads to her truck, she catches the color of red out of the corner of her eye. She whips her head around, hoping it is a new car or something else that had caught the light, but the laughter that sounds around her when she turns kills that hope inside.

Bella goes to run to her truck, wanting the little protection it can afford her. When she passes an alley, she is just gone. The sound of the book she had purchased hitting the ground with a thud is the only sign she was ever there.

* * *

**Final count: 1,643 words.**

**Fairfarren~**


	2. I’m Not A Born Leader

# I’m Not A Born Leader

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Chapter-2-Wisdom.jpg)

**Disclaimer:  Down own any of it.  My world, their characters.  Capiche?**

**Pre-Edit Count: 2,050 Words**

Song: _Robot Boy_ by Linkin Park

* * *

_Previously:_

_Bella goes to run to her truck, wanting the little protection it can afford her. When she passes an alley, she is just gone. The sound of the book she had purchased hitting the ground with a thud is the only sign she was ever there._

_Now:_

* * *

Bella is gritting her teeth at the snarling redhead in front of her. She is enraged because no matter what, per the rules, she should not be after her. Bella didn’t touch James; he touched her. He bit her. He broke her leg.

Edward fought him, yes, but he did not kill him. In fact, Edward was losing the battle until Jasper came in. He is the one that killed James. Well, the last bit was Alice who took his head as Emmett and Jasper held him, throwing his head into the fire. But still, it was Jasper who had the vampire beaten.

So nowhere is there any reason that Bella should be the one hunted… Except that Victoria is a coward and is attacking the weakest of the ones that had been around James at the time of his death.

Victoria sneers at her when she sees her expression, “What? You don’t like my methods?”

Bella raises an eyebrow and tells her clearly, “No. You are a coward. You are coming after the only human. I did nothing but suffer and bleed. Yet you decided to come after the one person you are sure to win against.”

Victoria slams her hands on either side of Bella’s head on the brick wall she has her backed against, the dust from the brick crumbling around Bella’s head. “My mate died! So you are going to make him suffer! Mate for a mate!!” she screams at her.

Bella eyes darken as her anger rises up. She was tired of being the weak one. “My so-called fucking mate did **_nothing_**! He tried to fight your mate and lost. His brothers had to come in and save him. They each held an arm as Alice twisted his head off, throwing it in the flames. So how the hell am I going to make my mate suffer for killing your mate when he wasn’t the one who did so?!”

Victoria’s black eyes look down at her coldly. “It doesn’t matter. They protected you when they should have offered your bleeding body to him! It is our right to play with humans!”

Bella scoffs at the statement. “Mates are to be protected. If a mate is killed in defense of another mate, there is none to blame. But if the mate is not killed in defense of one’s own mate, then only the ones responsible for the killing can be held accountable. Your own fucking LAWS!!!”

Victoria stares at her and then she laughs, the bell like sound vibrating down the alley. “Oh how rich. A human is telling me the rules of our race.” Then she leans closer and asks with menace dripping from her voice as her venom drips off her teeth, “But, since you are so learned about our laws, you can tell me the first law of our world.”

Bella stands there, defiant. “Keep the secret.”

Victoria has an evil look to her face as she tells her, “And you know the secret. I will be following the laws if I kill you, so either way – I win.”

With that, she takes deep delight in kicking Bella in the same leg that James broke and watches her fall to the ground. While she is not hearing the screams she wishes for, she consoles herself that she will get those later as she continues.

Bella stares up at her, refusing to give in to the sick waves of pain rolling over her. She will not give in; she will not make a sound. She is not giving an ounce of pleasure to this sick woman in front of her.

Victoria laughs and then crouches, inches separating their faces. “This is going to be fun,” she says as her hand caresses the throat of her prey, using just the right amount of pressure to break the clavicle, enjoying the wince that causes, the only reaction she has gotten.

But for when the screams start…

“Not quite.”

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Peter-Whitlock-WJL.jpg)

A male voice echoes down the alley as a tall brunette man comes into view wearing a flannel shirt over jeans. He is standing there with his hands at his side, looking at the redhead. “I had this feeling that I needed to be here. So powerful, in fact, it ripped me from enjoying myself with my mate. So I think I will be taking it out on you.”

Bella looks at him and when her face pales even further, Peter nods. His knower told him to be here. He looks down the alley way to his mate and says, “Seems we have an unruly vampire and a human knowing of us, Char. This looks like it’s a case for the Kings, yes?”

[ ](http://i1.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Charlotte-Whitlock-WJL.jpg)

With that, Victoria’s look grew dark and she evaluated her chances of taking the two. But the alley is dark and she couldn’t tell much about them. However, before she could do anything, she is grabbed and when she turns her head to hiss and fight, she sees a blond shaking her head.

She is dragged from Bella and realizing what is happening, she kicks out towards Bella. Managing to only graze her side was still enough for all the vampires to hear the song of bones breaking.

Peter is by her side in seconds and he grabs the redhead. “I have a feelin’ you just are makin’ the worst mistake in yer life.” His eyes are black in anger and his accent slips out. He does not hold with what is happening and he looks at Char. She nods to him and he bends down to Bella.

He takes in her features and likes the way that even with as much pain as she is in, she never utters a sound. He crouches in front of her and softly moved her hair out of her face. “You know what we are.” It was a simple statement.

Bella goes to nods, then winces from the pain and barely gets out the word, “Yes,” from the roiling pain in her body.

Peter nods, taking in the damage she has taken. He tells her, “I need to pick you up and take you to our room. Then we will need to know what is going on. Either way, we are going to Italy.”

Closing her eyes, she tells him, haltingly, “I need t-t-o leave a not-t-e for Ch-ch-ar-lie.”

He looks down at her and he asks, “Can you write the note? Tell me where you live and I will make sure he gets it. I don’t want to move you too often. In fact…”

His Mate’s voice comes down the alley, “On it, Peter. You go ahead and take her to the plane. I will take a long route with our guest.” She shakes the redhead who is still trying to get away.

Bella swallows. “Sh-sh-she has t-t-tal-ent-t-t.”

Char chuckles. “It’s okay, sweetie. I have my own talent. You go with Peter and let me know if he tries anything. I’ll take care of it when I get there.” She gives the brunette a smile, then she is gone.

Peter sighs and rubs his eyebrow in a manner that is vaguely familiar to her. But before she can trace down the trait, he tells her bluntly, “This is going to hurt. No and’s, if’s or but’s about it. Brace yourself.”

When she nods, he moves as smoothly as he can and has her in his arms. Seeing her grit her teeth, he tells her softly, “I know, sweetheart. Just bear with me.” With that, he takes off for their plane.

The alley way that almost saw death was saved for another evening.

* * *

Peter deposits her carefully on the couch in the main cabin and is soon back by her side with some paper.

Bella swallows, lying with her head against the cushions, trying to keep conscious. When she has control over the pain, she holds out her hands.

Handing her the items along with the clipboard he’d grabbed for her to write on, she writes a note. Then, on the second sheet she writers her address and where to leave the note. She looks him in the eyes and writes, ‘ ** _Be careful. Others there that hunt red-eyes. Guard home. If you cannot leave note, fine._** ’

He grins as he reads it. “I expect it be that wet dog smell we caught when we passed through? It’ll be fine. Now, I am going to drop this off for you. I would say 15-20 minutes and I will be back. If you can sleep, go ahead.”

She rolls her eyes at him and he chuckles. “If nothing else, I will ask for you to be changed as a Whitlock. You deserve it as the little warrior you have shown yourself to be tonight.” And with that he is gone.

Bella couldn’t fight off the lethargy setting in and drifts away trying to remember why that name sounded so familiar.

* * *

The sound of voices waken her again and she can feel the vibration of the plane under her. When she opens her eyes, she sees Peter and Char sitting there and when her eyes search for Victoria, Char tells her, “I have her in many different pieces. This ain’t our first rodeo.”

Bella chuckles.

Peter grabs some pillows and asks, “Can you sit up and if you still can’t talk, maybe write up what happened? We are in the air and it will be a long time.”

She nods and he helps her carefully sit up. Char is there and tells Peter, “Leave.” He nods and heads to the pilot area.

She looks at Bella. “I need to check you out first. Can you sit there for me and just let me know where it hurts.”

Bella watches her and soon after a brief, but thorough examination, Char has her phone out. “Alec, this is Char. We are coming in with a Rogue and a Human. The Rogue had given the Human a thorough beating but no skin broken. I will need a stable transfer to the castle and a way for us to bring her in. Plus some pain killers will be helpful.” She listens and smiles, saying, “Peter has already claimed her so she will be one of us, but we want the Kings to hear her.” She nods, “That will be perfect.”

Peter walks in and glancing at his mate, asks, “Well?”

Char smiles at the woman in front of her, answering, “Eight ribs broken on her right side. Her clavicle is broken as well as her thighbone. There is some internal damage but the bones are our problem. She needs to not be jarred. I set the leg as best as I can. There is nothing we can do for the other bones.”

Peter winces with remembered pain from the injuries he had as a human. “Well, sweetheart, as soon as the Kings are done with you, we can change you.”

Bella nods, knowing she had no more time. To give her family, friends and hell, her town, the freedom from Victoria, it will be worth it. To find out she will be changed; well, she had a new appreciation for life. Who knows what can happen? Surely there were the vampire equivalent of hook-ups right?

Peter sighs, “The story, sweetheart. Can you give it to us, so we can try to help?”

She sighs, then slowly begins to tell them her tale. Both Peter and Charlotte looked at each other when she mentioned the Cullens. Then later, when she tells of why Victoria is hunting her, they are amazed when she got away from the Pixie and Jasper. Then they both growl at why she is alone.

By the time she finished, given all the stops and starts from the pain she is in, they were over the Atlantic. Bella closed her eyes, and the two looked at each other.

Char tells her, “Sweetheart, get some rest. When we get there, it will be better for you.”

Not able to stop the blackness overtaking her, Bella finally gave out a pained sigh and succumbed to the darkness with those words following her into the black.

* * *

**Final count,  2,082 words.**

****Fairfarren~** **


	3. Past the Black

# Past the Black

[ ](http://i1.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Chapter-3-Wisdom-4.jpg)

**Disclaimer:  Down own any of it.  My world, their characters.  Capiche?**

**Pre-Edit Count: 1,660 Words**

Song: _Castle of Glass_ by Linkin Park

* * *

_Previously:_

_Char tells her, “Sweetheart, get some rest. When we get there, it will be better for you.”_

_Not able to stop the blackness overtaking her, Bella finally gave out a pained sigh and succumbed to the darkness with those words following her into the black._

_Now:_

* * *

When they landed, Bella woke with the jar of the wheels touching down. Since it was in the midst of a storm, the fact they landed at all is shocking, but neither Peter nor Char wanted to take the chance with Bella. Yes, her broken bones are the worst issue at hand, but the internal injuries are nothing to sneer at either.

They were met with an ambulance as the doors opened and a doctor came onto the plane with a gurney. He checked over Bella and knowing who he worked for, looked up at Char and told her, “Non dovrebbe essere spostato, ma lei sopravviverà al viaggio. Dopo che si vede, il suo dare questo nel IV mi aggancio, e lei dovrebbe andare bene fino a quando posso impostare le sue ossa. Se è per essere trasformato, allora può essere allora.” ( _She shouldn’t be moved, but she will survive the trip. After she is seen, give her this in the IV that I am hooking up and she should be fine until I can set her bones. If she is to be turned, then she can be then.)_

Char nods and pockets the needle. The doctor sets Bella up quickly with an IV, then Peter helps place her on the gurney and with the help of another vampire, gets her off the plane and into the ambulance with hardly a jar.

Char follows with the containers holding the redhead. She drops them in the ambulance. When the vampire with them lifted an eyebrow, she looks evenly back at him and says, “I don’t like her.”

The vampire has a small smile on his face, but he nods. He watches them as he leans back in the corner. He notes the care that the two take with the human and nods in understanding as Peter tells her, “Not too much longer. You will be one of us.” It explains their careful handling of her.

The sirens are going until right before they hit the city, then silenced as it takes a turn that no one could see unless they are right upon it. This led through a tunnel and as they pass the entrance, it darkens as a screen is dropped back down behind them, blocking the view of their route. It’s nothing elaborate, just a way to prevent a tourist who may be walking by can’t note it and get curious. The blind turn blocked it from those curious and wandering souls.

Another way for it to be hidden is the long route it takes around the city walls, ending in a pitch black room. The vehicle halts and then once a code is entered into a box that can only be seen with supernatural eyes, they move forward into the parking bay. The back doors fly open. Peter and their helper bring Bella out and are soon carrying her through the halls. They put the gurney down so lightly that Bella didn’t wake. During the time she sleeps, they reassemble Victoria and she is quickly put under the thrall of their vampire guard.

Sighing, Peter gently wakes their Bella and once her eyes are open and focused on his face, he tells her, “Show time.”

With that, he turns and with the help of a huge vampire, they bring her into the room.

* * *

Sitting on his throne, Caius is bored as hell. He had been stuck there for centuries without an outing to entertain him. The werewolves have been hunted almost into extinction, if not exterminated completely. He hated them fiercely; they had attacked his village and only by the wishes of Odin did he survive and is still around.

He woke to this new life with a vengeance that his sire had been glad to help him in. It had only gotten his maker killed and he regretted that. So much so that he was added to the litany of those he makes sacrifices for to Odin in addition to his personal patron, Freya.

Aro had approached him when he had freed his area up north from the savagery of werewolves or those vampires that had come under what he thought of as his territory. He was a King in his human life, he remained one in his undead life.

He had ruled with a just hand, but everyone knew he would not suffer fools to live under him and anyone who flaunted themselves was made a fool. Having been one of the group who would have challenged the supernatural as a human, he had taken many names over the years to try and hide his presence from the humans.

However, as things happen, he was often in the legends of the humans. He had laughed and still does when he can read things he has done being attributed to the Gods. He is a humble believer and no matter how many times he has tried to correct it, his deeds are remembered as feats of different gods.

Caius sighs as he only partly pays attention to the proceedings. He has been King long enough to know that times of action are few and far between times as this. His great age has allowed him to be faster than most vampires and he needs blood less than many others. But to be whole… That is his greatest wish. To find his true mate as his brother has done would be his greatest adventure yet.

He knows that Peter and his mate are coming and there is something going on with their arrival. Per their requests, he knew there was an injured human coming and he felt a stirring in him. Mayhap this human will relieve the monotony of his days. If nothing else, he will listen to the two people who had sworn loyalty directly to him, instead of to the Volturi as a whole.

It does not happen much, but when it does, those that are accepted are under his personal protection. They are part of the Volturi, but only as long as he remains. If he leaves, he will take them with him.

Many thought the brothers, as they term themselves, were real brothers. Caius often chuckles at it, but never tells the truth. There are times he gets away and returns to his actual kingdom. Indeed, Caius is still King of the northern countries. His realm is huge and he does his job in maintaining order. He loves his homelands and while the borders may change in this time and age, his borders harken back to when he was human.

His mind seems to be more inclined to find patterns in things. He is very tactical minded and is the one who is in charge when they go to battle. All in all, he is a true Viking.

Suddenly, he smells something that turns his eyes black. As he looks up, his eyes meet a very astounded pair of brown ones. With that moment, everything settled for Caius and his greatest wish is granted.

Then he registered that those eyes belonged to a body that made his heart warm and his loins tighten with lust. Only after that, does he register the gurney she is on and he surges to his feet roaring in fury that the one he has waited so long for has appeared, but has been greatly injured.

* * *

Bella is barely aware of the world around her, but she wakes when she hears Peter’s request to do so. She opens her eyes and tries to keep them open. The pain is worse now. She normally has found that the day after is always worse.

But her mind is clicking along and she trusts Peter and Charlotte. They keep telling her that they will take her as one of them and this makes her feel better.

So she opens her eyes and tries to give Peter a smile. She notes the two vampires holding Victoria, but the blank look on her face leads her to believe someone has a talent that is allowing temporary peace to reign. Sighing as she waits with them to the pleasure of the kings, Bella notes the IV hooked up to her.

Charlotte smiles, saying, “I have a drug that will help you with the pain once we are in there. Peter’s gift is telling him that none of the talents in that room will help you. So we have to wait to give this to you, but as soon as we get the okay, I will give it to you, so you can be out for the setting of your bones.”

Nodding her head, Bella tells her softly, her throat a raw mess from Victoria’s grip, “Thanks. I would normally hate taking anything, but I don’t think I will mind too much today.”

Peter and the other vampires chuckle. There is no doubt that she is suffering; one look at her gives that information readily.

The darker haired vampire tells her, “No worries, little one. Our kings, contrary to what may run as rumor, are very kind masters. No matter what, you will be pain free. There is no reason I can see for them not giving you to the Whitlocks to change.”

Smiling at the gentle vampire, Bella whispers to him as the doors open, “I thank you for your kindness.”

Peter gently pushes her gurney in the doors and she looks at the Kings. The blonde one on the end… His red cloudy eyes meet hers and instantly clear before darkening. There is shock on his face, followed by lust and lastly, rage. He surges to his feet, roaring.

Bella is staring at him as the vampire who was holding Victoria says, looking shocked, “Well, that was one thing I had not thought to happen.”

* * *

**Final count: 1,687 words.**

****Fairfarren~** **


	4. Chapter 4 Beating of the Storm

# Beating of the Storm

 

 

**[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Chapter-4-Wisdom-3.jpg) **

**Disclaimer:  Down own any of it.  My world, their characters.  Capiche?**

**Pre-Edit Count: 2,497 Words**

Song: _Burning in the Skies_ by Linkin Park

* * *

_Previous:_

_Bella is staring at him as the vampire who was holding Victoria says, looking shocked, “Well, that was one thing I had not thought to happen.”_

_Now:_

* * *

The room only sees a blur as Caius moves to her side. He is staring down at her and then he growls out, “Who did this to her?”

Peter, as well as the rest of the room, is kneeling, submitting to the King in his rage. They can feel squeezing them as though they were deep in the ocean. “The red-head here. We brought them to you, my liege. The human has been left with knowledge of our existence from others and the red-head was torturing her when my mate and I found them in an alley.”

Caius growls out as his hand reaches out to touch the female that is his so tenderly on her cheek. “Aro!”

His brother is by his side and he smiles at the small female in the hospital bed. “She is beautiful, Caius.” Then, he looks at the female whose eyes are locked on her mates and his smile gets bigger as he asks, “Stella, may I please touch you?”

Not able to take her eyes from the man in front of her, she nods.

Aro looks to Caius and when he impatiently nods, Aro takes the hand next to him and bows over it, waiting for the information to pour into his mind. When nothing comes, his eyes open wide. “Madonna!”

Caius looks at him lifting a brow, not wanting to deal with Aro’s sense of theatrics. He can tell his mate is in a lot of pain and this is why he is wanting Aro to get her side so he can get her to a healer. He is hoping that she can be saved and will expend whatever is needed to do it if she wishes to suffer through it. But if not, he will bite her. He just wanted to get to know her wishes. He has been a warrior long enough that he can allow his mate whatever she wanted so long as she will become one of them to be by his side. To accept less would invite madness.

Aro just looks to her and he comments softly, “A shield for the warrior. How fitting is that?”

Trying not to growl, Caius looks up at Aro. Aro sees the look and he tells him, “Nothing. There is nothing. She is a shield. You will have to get the story the old fashioned way.” He also doesn’t want to cause any more pain to whom will become his sister. He is not one to want any of their family suffering and there is no doubt she had to be suffering from what he can see and smell from her.

Peter steps up, holding his hand out while informing him, “Master Caius, with your permission I can show Aro what she told us.”

Victoria fights. None of this is going good for her, she has a very bad feeling and nothing she is doing is allowing her to escape. “How do you know if she lies?”

Charlotte looks at her, saying, “You obviously don’t know Master Aro’s talent very well. It will be as though he was there. He can pick up if she lies as well as the rest of us.”

Aro chuckles as he pulls away from Peter and extending his hand to Charlotte, he closes his eyes as he takes her point of view.   He nods his thanks to the woman and then turns to the fiery red-head. He tells his two guards, “Hold her, I expect she will not want the touch.”

As he predicted, she fought, but he put his hand on her. Within moments he snarls. “Alec, you will need to remove her senses. Felix, I want her torn back apart and put in the farthest corners of the dungeon. Her talent seems to be escaping, but I wish for a leg and an arm to be placed in the chest below my throne. If she can escape with all that; well, she won’t go far.”

Caius growls out, “So?” His hand is still caressing his mates face, wanting to end this as soon as possible. He needs to care for her, to take care of her always…

Aro turns to him and says, “She was claimed to be the mate of the youngest Cullen. But she is his singer and silent to his mind-reading. He decided he loved her and had gotten used to her scent. He and his family had asked if she wanted to go play baseball with them. That’s when a tracker named James, whose coven had been in the area hunting, decided that she would make a great game. Victoria here is his mate and he had sent her to get the address of her family, noticing when she had said she was leaving for Phoenix, that her mother lived there. After an entertaining evening for the tracker in which he bit her, he lost his life to the family. The singer had the venom sucked out of her by her so-called mate.”

Aro’s face turns angry as he continues, “Victoria hunted her afterwards and had, in fact, witnessed the leaving of the youngest Cullen of young Isabella here in the forest. He told her she had been a plaything for him. She has since then been fighting for her life and those of her friends and neighbors against Victoria’s attacks. Seems there is a group of shifters that have been protecting your young mate until she foolishly left their protection last night.”

Caius growls out and tells his little mate, “I am assigning you guards, my little one. You will not be able to slip by them so easily. So, is there any reason she has to be here any longer?” His words may be harsh, but his hands are gentle on her. Aro knows it is the pressure of knowing his mate is hurt that is causing to be more brusque than he normally would be with her.

Aro smirks. “Lady Charlotte has something for her; it will knock her out.”

Growling, Caius looks over to Charlotte and holds out his hand. She hands it to him quickly, not meeting his eyes. She tells him, “We have a doctor who is just waiting for word of her being done to come to set her bones.”

His eyes flashing black, he grits his teeth. He takes a deep breathe and then looking at his mate, asks, “You want this?” holding out the drug so that she can see it.

Bella closes her eyes as the pain swirls around her, then painfully, she tells him, “No, but I think I need it.”

A quick smile was on his face from hearing her voice, but he tells her, “Then we will give this to you now, but to know more, we will wait until to we get the doctor to our rooms. I would like to hear what they have to say as well as my brother Marcus. He has been interested in the healing arts and will know more,” he finishes, pressing the syringe carefully into the shunt and watching the trail of the liquid as it goes through and enters her body.

She nods at him and then looks at him in shock as he leans over and tells her softly, “Rest, I will take care of you now.” The look in those red eyes of his make it all too real to her that he means this. Then, the blackness reaches up to her to take her back with it.

* * *

Caius is leaning back in his seat, watching his mate on their bed. When she had passed out in the throne room, he had quickly taken control of the situation. After questioning Charlotte and Peter, he had them call the Doctor in.

Then he listened to the doctor as he listed everything that is wrong with his mate. Then Marcus discussed the new tests they had been running. They had been studying the effects of venom and the uses of it in healing people. After a long discussion of the pros and cons, Caius agreed to talk with his mate about it.

The worst that will happen is that she will be changed immediately. The best is that they will be closer than most mates, but since there are so few True Mates around, they had no idea how it would affect their bond. Along with that, she will heal much quicker.

This new method of healing is to allow a small amount of his venom in a large amount of blood. He has already done combined his venom with her blood which they had carefully withdrawn from her so that it will be taken faster to her body. The bag was a normal amount from her, but the amount of venom was small next to it. Luckily, it had worked the first time. The small amount of his venom not changing the cells, but healing some of the blood cells instead. In fact, they ended up pouring some of the blood into another bag since it had multiplied the cells.

Marcus thinks it has to do with the Mating Bond. He knows that when Caius claims her, he will bite her and only his scent will be inserted, but he has no idea why that happens instead of the change. He only knows that it will happen and he will have no control over it.

So here Caius sits, worrying about his little mate and hoping that their plan works. However, if they wait too long, there might not be a choice. So he sits and worries, but watches the time. He is walking a fine line, but then, he has for all his life.

When he hears her heartbeat change, he is there by her side, watching her as she wakens. He can see when the pain hits her and wishes he could take it from her. She deserves nothing but happiness.

Bella awake and stares into the red eyes of the man who had taken all of her attention the second she had seen him. She smiles up at him, and asks, “Who are you and what is this between us?” She had felt the connection between them the instant their eyes had met. This was way more than she had felt with Edward.

He smiles, saying, “Caius Volturi, at your service, mia amata. More importantly, I am what they call your True Mate. I think humans call it Soul Mates?” He lifts an eyebrow to her.

She furrows her forehead and asks, “How can I be your mate if Edward was mine?”

He growls. “No mate would ever leave theirs behind in a forest with someone hunting them. Edward was in no way your mate. However…”

She lifts an eyebrow to him. He grins down at her. “I think you did have a mate, but I cannot be sure until we meet the Cullens. The truth is that you can have many mates, especially with you being human and still growing, but you will only have one True Mate. I’ve waited a very long time for you and I will be blunt. I am not going to let you go. Knowing that you are the one has me excited and set on winning your heart, mia piccola.”

She smiles but she wonders aloud, “Why do you think I had a mate in the Cullen Coven?”

He smiles as he murmurs, “So smart.” His eyes met hers as he says, “Because you were very attracted to them too quickly. I believe that you may have been mated to one of them, but to whom? I am not sure.”

Bella muses on these thoughts and she just shakes her head. “Does it really matter now?”

He picks her hand up, looking at it in his while examining the differences between the two. He tells her, “Only that unless the vampire in question has found his True Mate then he will still be mated to you. He was there at the time and your souls were compatible. But now, you will feel close to this individual as though he is your brother, your best friend. He will be those things to you, but nothing more.” He meets her eyes, his own black as his voice tells her bluntly, “I won’t – can’t – share you.” He has waited too long and he is being selfish, but he is a selfish man.

She looks into those eyes of his and then she asks with a tone of confusion to it, “I thought your eyes were cloudy…”

He laughs. “A sign of finding your True Mate at our age. Marcus is also clear though his True Mate was killed so long ago. But he holds out hope that since he was prophesied that she will come again. He waits for her to this day. I am overjoyed at finding you and it makes them both hope for their own resolutions.” He traces her face with the back of his hand, so careful with his fragile mate.

He sighs, then looks at her. “I hate to do this, but you are injured so severely, my little mate. They set your bones, but truthfully, it is recommended that I change you. While this is my deepest desire, I have found that it is better to ask first.” He looks into her eyes and informs her, “Marcus has an idea that so far looks as though it will work, but you need to decide quickly.”

He scratches his eyebrow with his thumb as then continues, “He has worked with the doctors here in Volterra to find uses for our venom. Unlike what most of the vampire world thinks, we actually are trying to figure out ways to help the human race. It certainly seems like someone has to in order to make them live longer. With the way they are eating up resources, we vampires need to figure out alternatives or we will not survive.”

Closing his eyes, he shakes his head and murmurs the first part of the sentence to himself before continuing, “I certainly am talkative with you. But the point I am trying to make is that he has devised a way for our venom to help heal humans. While the results are not conclusive, he has mentioned that with us being True Mates that it should help heal you. The side effect is that we will have a very close mating bond, but the alternative is to change you now.”

Bella relaxes against the pillow. “Why are you so set on not changing me now?”

He smirks and in a second is right over her, staring down at her with his red eyes locked onto her own brown ones. “I would change you right this second if you ask. There is nothing I wish more. However, I am giving you a chance. A chance to say goodbye. While you are not appearing as young as the twins do, the age for those considered children is moving up all the time. I would rather you be an age you feel comfortable with.”

She smiles. “So you are not wanting to save my soul or something like that by refusing to change me?”

He snorts then nuzzles her on her neck, enjoying the scent of her. “My gods do not refuse souls because of a change to vampire. All that matters are my deeds in life. I am set on being in Valhalla. And you, my little Valkyrie, will be there beside me. There is no doubt in my head.”

She laughs and looks at him. “Viking?” she guesses with the comment and the idea from when she first saw him about being reminded of a Viking warrior, just missing the stupid horns on his head, pops into her mind. Really, she cannot see this warrior in front of her wearing something so stupid.

He nods, enjoying her scent and marking her with his as he rubs his face alongside her neck. He feels rumbles in his chest and allows the sound to come forth, happy that it was yet another proof that she is the one for him.

She chuckles. “Purring? Really?”

He lifts his head with a smile. “Yes. Another sign. But, mia amata, you need to choose. Time is running out for you.”

She looks at him and tells him, “The other thing. If it fails, you will change me?”

He nods. “In a heartbeat… To lose you now will only lead me to following you. I am not as strong as Marcus. I would rather feast with you in Valhalla then to wait the many hundreds of years for you again. I am not going to lose you.”

She looks into his eyes and tells him, “Well, let’s get this show on the road. I rather learn about you in our time, not because Victoria determined it.”

He snarls at the name, but gives her one last nuzzle before calling out, “Marcus!” He is beside her on the bed and when the males come in, he cannot help the crouch, defending his mate who is hurt.

When they look on him, he tells them, “She has agreed.”

* * *

**Final count, 2.891 words.**

****Fairfarren~** **


	5. When you Told That Lie

**[](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Chapter-5-Wisdom-4.jpg)Disclaimer:  Down own any of it.  My world, their characters.  Capiche?**

**Pre-Edit Count: 3,387 Words**

Song: _Burning in the Skies_ by Linkin Park

* * *

_Previous:_

_When they look on him, he tells them, “She has agreed.”_

_Now:_

* * *

Marcus hooked up the bag of blood that was mixed with Caius’s venom to be infused into Bella. He smiles to himself, knowing it will work, but cannot tell Caius. No, his brother, though a firm believer in his own Gods and so many things, has turned to hard facts for his little mate.

Since he is the only one with the experience of having a True Mate, Marcus has known so much of this to be true. But Caius, while extremely faithful to his gods and willing to believe in fantastical things, would rather have his faith backed up with science when it came down to the wire. Especially for his new mate.

Marcus looks up into Caius’s eyes and when his brother nods, he turns the clamp. Now it is a waiting game to see how fast Caius’s venom recognizes its mate in Bella and starts healing her. To him, it has already been shown with the extra bag of blood that it not only recognizes its mate in Bella, but will work to heal her.

With a nod to Caius, he leaves the room heading out of the suite of rooms that Caius had claimed long ago. He chuckles as he realizes that Bella is very much protected since it will take a while to get to their room. This measure is just Caius normally. Once he has the time, Marcus will not be surprised to find all of Volturi updated with the latest in technology. It is what he did with Didyme and Caius is just the right person to do it. He is thinking the man will suffer trying to do right by his little mate.

When he makes his way to outside his rooms, he nods to the crowd waiting in the round room that contained the entry ways into each King’s wing. He tells them, “We will know soon if it will work.”

Peter chuckled once. “I just don’t know why you won’t tell him it will work.” He is leaning against the wall, looking up to meet the King’s eyes.

Shaking his head at Caius’s young protégé, Marcus tells him, “Because he needs to see it work. I have been his brother longer than you have ever been a gleam in your great grandfather’s eye when he was born. Relax Peter,” he chuckles.

Aro is leaning against the wall and says, “He is just upset that she is not going to be a Whitlock now. It is his wish, to have her for a sister.” His eyes are laughing at the other vampire.

Marcus rolls his eyes, “Not now, Aro. Right now, I am more worried about what we need to do about the information that has been brought to our attention.” He gives him a hard look.

A growl escapes most of the room as they thought of why their Master’s mate is in grave danger.

Demetri shakes his head. “Who to bring to face the wrath of Caius? The red-head is just the result of the Cullens and there is much need to know about her.” He is searching for all of them constantly, making sure he knows where they are for when Caius wants to leap into action.

Felix chuckles as he is searching through the laptop he is on and Alec beside him mirrors his chuckles. “Her life is easy to find in the computers. Seems someone in the Cullen’s wanted to make sure she is set for this life.” He looks up to Peter, saying, “I suspect it was your sire since her last name on all the additional documents is Whitlock.” He raises an eyebrow. They all heard Caius and their bets are on the blonde demon. But how will they get him not to know who she was to him…?

Peter nods, sighing. “I guess once I find my sire after little one is safe, I will ask if I can be her guard. I cannot get rid of the feeling as though Char and I need to protect the little one.” He shakes his head. While being sworn to Caius is one thing, what he wants to do will need both the head of his coven and his King to agree.

Aro huffs, “We will need for you to go take care of the nest of younglings she turned. They are wild and soon will not believe her tales of the sun burning them. I suspect we will be having an outbreak of murders and missing people in Seattle if we don’t get a handle on them quickly.”

Felix sighs. “The little one has had a rough life. Caius is going to flip. She is going to find being here so different from her old life.” He is not liking what he is reading on the information they are gathering and if he is not happy, he can’t see anyone else in the family being calm.

Growling, Aro shakes his head, “There is a reason Athenodora and Sulpicia have been locked away, they refused to get caught up with the times. She will not have that, nor would I think Caius will strip her will from her.” He gets a lot of comments from the guard for that one. Bella will not be so hardheaded, and even if she is, she will have many years of freedom before they have to lock her away so she doesn’t give their secret away.

Felix snorts. “No. Not that. She has taken care of her mother from an early age. From what I can see seven years old looks like the first time it was noted that the daughter came in to pay the bills.”

Aro and Marcus both snarl. “Seven?” they demanded together.

Charlotte cannot help but laugh. “She is Caius’s mate, but you are taking this so personally.” She had to point it out since her inner demon is wanting to tear apart Bella’s mother for her negligence.

Guessing to her reason why, Marcus turns to her, telling her, “She is like a daughter to me. Aro sees her as a sister. So yes, she is family and family is always personal. Ask your own husband.” He cannot allow it to lay. The world will find it is not wise to pick on their family.

She looks over to Peter and he is gritting his teeth, his hands fisted. He is shaking his head. “I didn’t get a thing. But if I find out the Pixie bitch did…” He is losing the battle with his vampire side. The one who claimed Bella as family.

Aro puts a hand on him, and tells him, “We will have our revenge. Right now we need to get her to heal. Contain the newborn outbreak in Seattle. Then allow her the goodbye she wishes before we change her. Then we will face down the Cullens. Unless of course, the time comes sooner. Then we will deal with them then.”

They all nod and look back towards the room as Alec and Felix work to find out all they can about their newest member so that if it is needed, they can move to erase her.

* * *

Caius is smiling down at his mate as she wakes up. “It looks like it is working.” He can feel her in ways that shouldn’t be normally possible, but who knows with True Mates, especially ones that are using their mate’s venom to heal?

Bella smiles up at him and feeling her body, she nods. “It is not hurting so bad.”

He nods. “I can feel the difference. Now if I could only remove the pain this would be so much better.”

She laughs. “Greedy!”

His face lights up in a true smile. “Always for you, my love.” He turns his attention internally and sighs as he realizes the last broken bone, the one in her thigh is healing. “I can definitely say this is a solution to the ER records Felix brought me. No more, la mia amata.” He gives her a hard look. He didn’t like the records nor the implications of them.

She laughs and lifts an eyebrow. “Is this going to be our relationship? You telling me no? Cause I don’t think I can take that again.” She may sound like she is joking, but she is being very serious.

His eyes actually light up and his smile gets bigger and she chuckles looking at his overbite. He is perfect for her. What others may think are mistakes, she sees as only perfection in him. She bites that lower lip of hers and he reaches down. With a look at her eyes, he uses his own teeth to gently remove her lip from her teeth, then his lips envelope hers for a kiss that soon has their passion rising.

Caius pulls away from her, his eyes looking down at hers as he comments hoarsely, “Breathtaking.”

She sighs in her own delight, then her stomach rumbles, causing her blush to cue up. He laughs, kissing her hand, then grabs the phone on the table next to them. “Demetri? Yes, she is awake and it sounds like she is hungry.” He listens his eyes on hers, then he grins at a comment on the other end. “I suppose if he is being half as annoying as I suspect he is that you can let him in. But let him know she eats first.” With that, he hangs up the phone taking up his place again close by her face.

He raises his body and watching her carefully, he slides into bed next to her. With a sigh, he rests his head on hers. “Thank you.” He needed this closeness, but he had not wanted to cause her pain nor have her jerk when she woke with him being so unexpectedly close.

Bella can feel the sense of completeness with him and she turns her head into his neck, taking in the masculine smell that she had always found slightly dusty on Edward. With Caius it smells as though he had worked outside in leather and came straight in. Not stinky, but all male.

The two of them relax for a few minutes until Caius sighs as he can hear the vampires entering his suite. “Your food is coming, along with my brothers. Seems they wish to talk to you.”

She cannot help the laughter as it sounds like he is pouting. “I’m sure that one way or the other you will get rid of them when I get tired. Since you can _feel_ it now.” She lifts an eyebrow. He may know what she is feeling, but hell if she will allow him to try to control her like that. Though, right now she will admit that she may overdo it and him watching over her can be a good thing.

He cannot help the laughter rumbling out of him as he tells her, “Oh, life has gotten much more interesting now.” The fire in her is not one he has seen for a very long time in a female. She reminds him of the women back from his time. The Shield Warriors who went into battle alongside their men.

Aro and Marcus are the first in the room and seeing the two watching them, they wave in Demetri who brings in a tray with some Italian food on it. “We have no idea what this is, but it is sworn to help you gain energy.”

Bella looks at the plates and seeing ravioli, tries a bite, and smiles. “Mushroom ravioli, my favorite!”

The room relaxes and Demetri stands by the room’s door in a guard pose. He is smiling, enjoying the fact that he has pleased his Lady; his soon to be Queen.

Caius soon takes the fork out of Bella’s hand is feeding her. She laughs at him and he leans toward her ear and tells her so softly, “Let me care for you. I will tell you more later, but I need this connection, my love.”

Aro and Marcus watch her and soon, Bella is done and the tray is whisked away with Demetri back at his post. Caius relaxes and tells his little mate, “Meet your first guard and my own main guard. But until you can find your own guards, I am setting you up with my top three.” His face hardens. He will not take anything but acceptance from his fragile mate.

She frowns, “What about you?”

He chuckles, “I will have others, but as the King in charge of the guard, well, it is my privilege to assign you the guards I think will be best for you. Demetri is in charge.” When she stares at him, he lifts an eyebrow and tells her bluntly, “I told you I would not allow you to be unprotected.”

Marcus and Aro are smiling, but it is Aro who saves the woman he is quickly thinking of as a sister. “Just think of it this way. He will be more likely to allow you to leave this room with guards.”

Bella turns and glares at the man in front of her. Then she looks up to the man who claims to be her mate. “You wouldn’t dare. Not if you want to have a peaceful existence with me!” To lock her in a room? Not even Edward was that bad!

Caius hands raise up. “Not me, my love, now ask Aro where his mate is!” No way is he getting into hot water with his diminutive mate.

Her head turns back and looks at him and Aro shakes his head. “So quickly he learns,” Marcus chuckles as he watches them.

She lifts her eyebrow and Aro raises his own to match hers. They stare off at each other and Marcus just starts laughing. “Oh my, you have certainly fell into place quickly here, dear one.”

Bella lifts a finger to him, telling him he has to wait as she stares at Aro. Caius, Demetri and Marcus cannot help but laugh at her. Aro rolls his eyes, “Do you want the short answer or the complete one, the one that will show why you won’t have it happen to you?”

She answers him, “The long one, I just met you, so I will give you a chance.” Then she turns her petite nose to the other two in the room and sniffs at them as she puts it up in the air, offended.

Caius pulls her close to him after he is sure she is now fully healed. He tells them, “If any of you dare to try to change her, I will kill you.”

She huffs, muttering, “It is a good start, but you are in the dog house too, mister.”

They all laugh again and she looks at Aro. “I am waiting…”

He shakes his head, but he answers his little sister. “Basically while you are Caius’s True Mate, Sulpicia is my mate and she doesn’t want to live in the world as it is now. She has decided this and will not budge. Says there is no class in this time and place. If she will not move forward with the times, then she cannot be out and about. It would be odd to find her in the hallways in gowns and such from the times she prefers. If she would just give in and learn of this time, then she can move about freely in the city and castle.” He shrugs, but he cannot have the secret found out by a tour group.

Bella looks at him in horror. “So let me get this right. She doesn’t want to give up the times she likes best, so you imprison her?” In her mind, the fact that if she does not do as Aro thinks is right she may be imprisoned too is running in loop…

They all look at each other. “When you put it that way, it does seem cruel. But we cannot have humans guessing the truth. Especially not here.” Aro is upset, but he cannot allow the secret to come out, not here and then expect others to follow his rulings.

Bella shakes her head. “Have you guys seen the outside world? Really? There is so much more out there and having them dress is period clothing will not be thought of any more than the cloaks you guys wear. In fact, the cloaks are so much more noticeable than them wearing the clothes they want.”

The three look at each other, then back to her. Aro is looking at her as he says, “The cloaks have been imposing for when we have to show up somewhere and often work to make the other vampires think twice about attacking us.” His voice is a little harder, but he can sense that he needs to be careful. Caius will only allow them to bicker so much before defending his mate.

Bella shakes her head. “I can see that happening. But for nowadays? It stands out. If you are so worried about the dresses, then you should be worried about the cloaks. You are being hypocrites.”

Caius’s eyes actually twinkle in the light as he throws his head back. Aro looks at him irritated. “Are you going to tell her about your wife that is in the same tower as my mate?” He growls it out, wanting the man to be in the hot house with him. It has been a long time since someone who was not one of his brothers had gotten the better of him.

Her head turning so fast, they were sure to hear a snapping noise. Caius glares at Aro as he explains to her, “The second you were brought into the throne room that farce of a marriage ended. It was nothing more than two friends taking care of each other. She has been waiting for her mate as I have been waiting for you.”

Lifting an eyebrow, Bella tells him, “I think I will hear from her before anything more happens between the two of us. I am not going to be the other woman.” Her heart is breaking, but she refuses to be anything but someone’s number one.

Growling, Caius turns to Bella, “Never! Never will you be anything less than everything to me. Mating is more than marriage. Our bond supersedes everything.” He is almost begging of her, but his pride keeping him from going all the way.

Knowing he messed up, Aro steps in. “He is telling the truth. Their marriage is nothing more than an agreement to be friends with benefits. There was no actual wedding, but it is something that we have never corrected over the ages. There is nothing you are coming in between.”

Shaking her head, Bella declares, “I want to hear from her. I am sorry, but I just cannot.” There is emotional pain in her and Caius growls, frustrated.

However, before anything else can happen, Marcus steps forward, demanding, “You two leave. You are not making this any better. Go. I will talk with her and you two can take care of some of the things that need to be done.” He gives Caius a look and watches in amusement as the tall blonde leaves the room, slamming the door to their suite as he exits.

Aro winces. “It’s a good thing the doors are so thick otherwise we may be paying a small fortune in replacing them,” he mutters.

Then he turns to Bella and he tells her, “I am sorry. This should be a happy day and my brother has waited so long for you. He is right, there is no one more important than you to him right now. My little statement has brought more trouble than even I wished it did. I am a trickster, I like to tease and you my dear, along with my prickly brother, will be the ones who are picked on. But I never wanted to cause pain this day. Please forgive me and do us all a favor – allow my brother to once more be by your side.” He watches her for a minute, then he bows in her direction and is gone.

Marcus sighs, then he nods to the chair Caius had been sitting in, asking, “May I have a seat?”

Staring out towards the exit, Bella nods.

He sits down, and tells her, “Aro is one who loves to tease. It is his way to show affection towards family and it is nothing but pure love when he does it. But he doesn’t always think when he is around those he considers family. As a King, he is always thinking in front of everyone else, but when it is just us, well you can say he relaxes and let’s go. Unfortunately, he was getting as good as he was giving, which is rare for him. This is nothing but him throwing something in to allow him to be able to tease further. Never to hurt you.”

Bella’s eyes turn towards Marcus’s. She finally asks, “Why did he hide it then?” There is no mistaking that she is not talking about Aro.

Shaking his head, he asks, “Did he? Or did he perhaps never mention it because it meant as much as he said? Two friends who became more only to combat the lonely centuries. Would you be so cruel to have him be alone all this time?”

Shaking her head, she sputtered, “No never. I-I-“

He smiles. “You are confused and not sure what is going on. You are being thrown in the deep end and you have been swimming admirably, but there has to be a point you need a lifesaver. I am giving you that. Ask me what you like but I would like you to answer me a question. Did you expect that he was celibate before he came to you?”

“No!”

He nods. “Then what does it matter if he bedded one woman or many?”

She looks down, a blush coming up her cheeks. “When you put it that way, it doesn’t. I just…Marriage!”

He smiles. “I swear to you that they are not married. They didn’t even have a farce of a marriage. I can tell you that they don’t have a mating bond and to make the situation even more unfair, you have a mating bond with another as well as the True Mate Bond with Caius.”

She frowns. “A mating bond?”

He nods, saying, “You have met what could have been your real mate instead of the fake one with the youngest of the Cullens. They will still have a bond with you, but you are already fully bonded with Caius. From what I hear, I can tell you who it isn’t. It is _not_ your singer but I suspect he is in the coven. He will be suffering, so when you meet them again, for you will, think on this.”

She sighs, then looks out the window. He watches her as she thinks and after a while, he nods and gets up. “Demetri will be outside the room. If you need anything call for him and he will help you. Caius will be close also. Do think on it, it pains him to have to be apart from you. I suspect you are already feeling the pain of the small separation from him.” Watching her, he leans forward and kisses on her forehead. “Rest. I will see you tomorrow.”

With that he leaves, passing Demetri who nods to him. Exiting the room, he looks at the people there and tells Caius, “I would give her tonight. She is calm and she will welcome you back. She is merely confused. Or you can anticipate her and have Dora attend her tomorrow.”

Caius nods. “Already done. Both ladies will be there. They promise to talk to her. Pia is just happy to be able to walk around as she wishes thanks to Bella.”

Marcus nods and putting a hand on his shoulder, claims, “It will all be fine. Give her the night to think. I promise you she will be more welcoming for it.”

They all nod and as they disperse, Caius settles down outside his rooms. He will not leave his mate, wanting her to have a restful night and not to have the stress of the bond on her already frail shoulders. He grabs the reports Alex and Felix left for him and he starts reading up on his little mate.

* * *

**Final count, 4,102 words.**

****Fairfarren~** **

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Twilight-Gif.gif)

 


	6. Wisdom: A Breath to Build a Glow

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Chapter-6-Wisdom-2.jpg)

**Disclaimer:  Down own any of it.  My world, their characters.  Capiche?**

**Word Count: 2,754 Words**

Song: _Until It’s Gone_ by Linkin Park

* * *

_Previous:_

_They all nod and as they disperse, Caius settles down outside his rooms. He will not leave his mate, wanting her to have a restful night and not to have the stress of the bond on her already frail shoulders. He grabs the reports Alec and Felix left for him and he starts reading up on his little mate._

_Now:_

* * *

Bella wakes the following morning to a room alight with sun and flowers around her. She blinks a couple of times but the wildflowers scattered all over the room do not fade.

They were not powerfully scented, which was good since there were so many, but then the linen curtains blowing in the room also indicated that the doors to the balcony were thrown open.

All in all, it was a calming way to waken with only a slight murmur of the city that must be on the other side of the castle.

Stretching and checking her body, Bella gets up and heads out to the balcony.

When she makes it there she jumps a little. There are two ladies sitting outside with a table set between them for breakfast and an empty chair meant for her.

Both ladies were classically beautifully. One is dark haired and had large pouty lips. Her straight, dark hair fell to her waist.

The other lady was blonde and she was as opposite as you can get from her companion but still be in that beautiful category in that classic train of thought for what made a woman beautiful.

They were sitting in the shade but as one made a slight movement, a hint of sparkle was there to verify that they are vampires. Not that their beauty was not a hint either. They both had that slight otherness you learn to associate with vampires.

But the darker haired lady looked up at Bella and told her in accented tones, “Welcome, Isabella. We both wanted to meet you to thank you for our freedom as well as clear up a misunderstanding that my Mate seemed to cause between you and Caius.”

Blinking, Bella walks forward into the sun and she only glances once behind her before sitting down at the table for breakfast with two vampires; one of which she assumes is her True Mate’s wife.

And she thought this would be a calm morning.

* * *

Athenodora looks over the woman who is now the center of Caius’s world and is thankful that it is not her.

She has hated her place for the last century and as much as she loves their family, she cannot take anymore of being locked up. If she would have known all this time that her supporting Sulpicia would lead to her being imprisoned…

No, she is relieved to be out of the tower and will be doing whatever it takes never to go back. Besides, the little she saw of the outer world and especially hearing all about this woman in front of her has her anxious to be a part of it. To be this mystery girl’s friend.

So she patiently waits until Isabella starts to eat and then calmly tells her, “We never married. There is nothing there really. I was getting ready to tell him that we will need to separate. We haven’t had sex in a century.”

Whatever Bella was thinking was not even close to what Athenodora said. She spit up the orange juice she had been drinking and was blinking at her in shock.

Sulpicia frowns and asks Athenodora, “Dora, I don’t think it is supposed to come out of their nose like that. Did you break her? Caius won’t be happy if you broke her. Neither will the other boys.”

Unable to think, Bella is just blinking at them until her nose really starts to burn from the orange juice propelled out of it at high volume. She then scrunches up her face and grabbing a napkin, turns away to blow her nose and hopefully stop the burn.

The two other ladies just watch her, but when Bella looks back at them, she can see the amusement in their eyes.

Dora tells her, “Call me Dora. My name is a mouthful. As it is, I wish to thank you for the freedom from the tower. Aro told us what you said. He was also for the first time in a long time, mournful that he had ruined his brother’s first day with you.”

Bella took a hiccuping breath and told them, “And some of that was Caius’s fault too. He could have told me also. What did either of them think I would do with that information?”

Sulpicia and Dora give each other a look and then turn their head to stare at her.

Her eyes narrowing, Bella asks them, “Yes?”

Sulpicia folds her hands in her lap. “Many woman would have gone with it. In fact many, too many to count, have done so in the past. But it says much to us that you had honor not only to us, but to yourself. It is rare nowadays.”

Unable to help the snort, Bella tells them, “Apparently. I was refusing because I got out of one relationship where the man controlled me but at least I wasn’t a dirty secret. If he is married to you, then I don’t want to be involved with him if he can’t at least give me that.”

Dora smiles gently at her. “Bella, he is yours. I never owned even a part of his heart. He has waited a very long time. I am what they would term a friend with benefits; however, the benefits part ended a long, long time ago. I don’t think I have even seen Caius until earlier in about a decade.”

Bella’s eyes widen and she looks down. Is this what she has to look forward to? In time, will she slowly be abandoned?

Dora cocks her head to the side, trying to see what had Caius’s mate upset now. She could hear him tearing up a room and wonders what had happened.

A second later, Marcus walks out on the balcony and shaking his head at the women there, grabs Bella and seats her in his lap as he takes her seat.

Holding her close, he tells her softly, “Caius is tearing up his rooms in a rage. What happened il mio tesoro?” ( _My Dearest – Treasure is the word but it means my dearest.)_

Bella just stills and he sighs.

Looking up at Dora, he tells her, “My dear, however did you and Caius be such good friends for such a long time, and you learned nothing of watching what you say?”

Sulpicia and Dora look at each other again and then back to him. “Whatever do you mean, Marcus? I was only telling her how Caius and I haven’t been close in decades.”

He closes his eyes as Aro comes up to the Balcony. He walks over and touching the women on their shoulders, he looks at Marcus. “Can we not do anything right by her?”

By this time, Bella is not paying any attention to them, thinking instead of how she gets caught up in these situations.

* * *

Later that night, Demetri is watching over his mistress as she lies on the bed looking at nothing. He shakes his head and wonders how they will fix this. She did not eat and has not answered anyone. Caius left the castle once his rooms were nothing but splinters. He had only left this room untouched and Demetri suspects that it was only so his mate had a place to rest.

While he tried to think of something, anything, he hears the outer door open and he looks up, hoping that his Master was coming to fix his Mate.

Instead, Peter walks in. He stops and rocks on his feet, watching over Bella. After a few minutes, he sighs and rubs his hand through his hair.

Carefully moving, Peter walks to the side of the bed and crouches there. “Bella?”

Nothing happens.

He tries again, louder. “ **Bella.** ”

Nothing.

He frowns and then says her name in a shout, “ ** _Bella!_** ”

She blinks and then looks at him.

“What the hell are you doing now?”

Frowning, she sits up and asks him, “ME? What am **_I_** doing?”

He lifts an eyebrow at her. “Yes. You. The one who threw Caius into a fit so huge that there is nothing left in any room but splinters. You, who has the rest of the castle walking around on eggshells and Marcus and Aro angry at the two women who only meant to help. So yes, what are you doing?”

Glaring at him, she admits, “Wondering what the big deal is with Mating? Why would anyone want it?”

Peter just blinks at her and finally, with a slight cock to his head and his eyebrows raising up, blurts out, “Whatcha’ talkin’ ’bout Willis?”

She sighs. “Everyone acts like it is so great. But it seems to me to be a prison of some sort. I mean, what is the great thing about it if you get ignored in a couple hundred years by your other half? I should have known there was a catch somewhere.”

Peter looks at her, then over at Demetri. Both of them are confused. Demetri asks her, “Why do you say this?”

Shrugging, Bella look away. She has no idea why she would want to stay here. She had thought mating was the ‘happily ever after’ deal, especially with how Caius was at first. But was it worth becoming immortal if she’d still end up alone?

Completely lost, Peter looks at Demetri for anything he could tell him.

Staring at his Mistress in shock, Demetri tells him, “I have no idea. Maybe talk to the Queens?”

Looking down at the woman he thinks of as a little sister, Peter nods. He leaves the room, looking back at his sister wondering if this is fixable. He turns and goes to grab Charlotte.

* * *

Talking with his mate on the way to where the Queens are now, Charlotte tells Peter, “I don’t know what they could have said to her to give her the idea that he would leave her, but you are right. We need to find out what was said so we can solve this. She is going to make herself sick and not want to turn which would kill Caius.” She looks worried, remembering how adamant that Peter was that they become subjects of Caius. That he will be extremely important to them.

They turn the corner and Marcus is standing before them. He lifts an eyebrow as he asks, “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to talk to Bella?”

Peter gives him a small smile, and tells him, “She doesn’t want to be Mated.   She thinks there is no use in it, that Caius will leave her in a couple hundred years. Demetri and I couldn’t get her to say anything else and unless we find out why she thinks this, it will not turn out well.”

Closing his eyes, Marcus sighs. “Come.”

He leads them to the doors and throwing open the door, he thunders to Dora, “You will talk to Bella and you will do it with these two in the room. Do you know what you have done?”

She is sitting there blinking at him, a book about computers in her hands. She finally says hesitantly, “No?”

He frowns at her. “Your words have Bella not wanting to turn. Caius is out of the castle doing who knows what after he has destroyed his rooms. Bella is rejecting him. You know what this will do to him. What did you think would happen when you told her that you two haven’t seen each other in a decade?”

Getting angry, Dora stands up in a rush and she tells him in a firm voice, “That we do not care for each other in that way. That there was nothing between us. She didn’t want to come between us. Now, I wonder why she would get the idea that a True Mating would be like that. Not from me! I haven’t said anything to her but try to inform her that we are done and have been for so long!” She is breathing hard, her eyes black. She is tired of being blamed.

Marcus just smiles and murmurs to her, “Nice to see you again, Dora. I missed you all these years.”

She just gives him a dirty looks and he chuckles. “But you are correct. There is more here I suspect than just your words.”

Charlotte and Peter look at each other. Peter sighs. “Its because she never has been wanted and loved just for herself. She is looking for ways for Caius not to be with her. She has been left behind by everyone, and frankly, I can’t blame her. With how she thinks, her background, your words just gave her mind the reasons.”

They all look at each other.

Marcus sighs. “So what can we do? Is Caius always going to have to deal with this?”

Peter leans against the wall, his arms crossed as he tries to think. But then his mate asks a question that makes them all look at her.

“Why would it bother him?”

With their looks, she shakes her head. “He has waited all this time for his mate. Why would it really bother him to have to work for her? Think of it – if she was human with no knowledge of our ways, would he try to court her or just change her and hope for the best?” She sighs. “Yes they are mated, but it doesn’t mean the fairy tale ending to it all. It means they need each other. I can see that turning to hate easily.” She stares at them all with a raised eyebrow. Why would they think True Mates any different than a mate?

Marcus clears his throat uneasily. “I was the only one with a True Mate and I think that is what the problem is. Didyme and I were in love by the time she became a vampire with me. So yes, we had the fairy tale.” His eyes turn dark, saying, “And that saying about ‘you never know what you got, until it is gone’ is true. Caius lives with watching me and thought that because he is in love with the idea of a mate, he feels the pull and everything else. But he is not thinking that to her, there is no pull that overrides everything. There is no her waiting for him for thousands years. There is nothing there for her really.” He looks sad as he realizes the pain his brother must be in.

Peter sighs as his head falls back to rest against the wall. “So we are basically dealing with two different issues. Charlotte is right. Caius needs to woo his little mate. We are also dealing with her not feeling the pull strongly and her life is not one to lead her into loving blindly. She did it once with one of our kind and got burned.” He closes his eyes as he thinks of the pain of his little sister is in.

A voice comes from the doorway. “If wooing is what she needs, I will do so. But we also need to deal with all of this pain from her life before. I need her but I need to realize she doesn’t need me at this time.”

They look up and the usually impeccable King is standing there with his hair lanky and a general air of despair around him. But his eyes have the familiar fire that most are used to.

Behind him, Aro is standing and he nods. “You need to use the wisdom of the last thousand years to be patient. To work with your little mate. She will fall in love with you if you are willing to work at it.”

Thinking, Caius slowly smiles. “All it take is a breath to build a glow. She accepted me fully for a small amount of time. I can work for that. For the chance for everything. To give us both that fairy tale ending.”

The rest of the room nods slowly as they agree to help him. There is nothing more important than making sure the two of them are happy. Forever is too long of a time to regret anything.

* * *

**Fairfarren~**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of Wisdom. I am finishing up the chapters I have written, then I will write a couple more before I disappear to write my original novel. For more information, please follow me on my site or in my facebook group. All under Kittyinaz.


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